Huawei Watch GT 4 vs Amazfit Balance: One of the most frequently asked questions is, “Which watch should I go for – the Huawei Watch GT 4 or the Amazfit Balance?” Given their identical price point of 249 USD.
The latest releases – the sleek Huawei Watch GT 4 Elite (41 mm) and the vibrant Huawei Watch GT 4 Green (46 mm). Can’t wait to share our thoughts with you. On another note, for those who’ve been tracking Amazfit, they’re not just about the GTR, GTS, and T Rex series. There’s a new kid on the block – the Amazfit Balance. With its promise of looking after our mind and body, it’s got us curious. Will it live up to the hype? Let’s find out together!
Table of Contents
Design & Materials
The Amazfit Balance is incredibly light, weighing around 35 grams, while the Huawei Watch GT 4 is considerably heavier. The difference in weight comes from the materials used. The Balance is crafted mainly from plastic with an aluminum face, while the Huawei watch boasts a stainless steel build and ceramic back. This difference means that while the Balance feels light on the wrist, the Huawei watch exudes a more premium and solid feel, especially with its rotating crown.
Huawei Watch GT 4: Not many smartwatches out there fit smaller wrists or come in designs that aren’t sporty. I know some people who switch between a classy watch for daytime business meetings and a sporty smartwatch for evening workouts.
But what if you want to track your steps all day? It’s tricky to keep swapping watches. The Huawei Watch GT 4 series wants to solve this problem. They offer elegant smartwatches, both in a smaller size (41 mm) and a bigger one (46 mm), so you can look stylish and still be smart!
The Huawei Watch GT 4 series has three watches in the smaller 41 mm size. There’s the “Classic” with a leather strap, the “Elegant” with a gold Milanese bracelet, and the “Elite” which you already know about. Then, there are four bigger 46 mm watches. The “Active” comes with a fluoroelastomer strap, the “Classic” has a brown leather strap, the “Green” is the one we tested, and the “Elite” sports a silver bracelet. For the bigger watches, the frame looks like an eight-sided shape. The “Active” version is black, while the others are silver.
Amazfit Balance: The Balance offers a classic look. It has two buttons: one for scrolling through menus and another that you can set for your favorite shortcuts. The strap feels comfy because it’s made of velcro. The back has many new sensors hinting at improved health features.
What really stands out to me is how light it is. The watch weighs just 35 g without the strap! That’s super light. When you wear it, it feels like you have nothing on your wrist. Honestly, you might even forget you’re wearing a watch because it’s that comfortable!
Display & Screen
Both watches come with hardened tempered glass, but the Amazfit Balance has a slightly larger 1.5-inch screen compared to the 1.43-inch display of the Huawei Watch GT 4.
The Huawei Watch GT 4 has two display sizes. The smaller 41 mm watch has a 1.32″ AMOLED screen with a 466 x 466-pixel resolution. The bigger 46 mm watch has a 1.43″ screen, but the same pixel resolution. Both screens use LTPO technology, refreshing at a rate of 1 Hz.
The watch automatically changes screen brightness to match the surroundings, and it does this perfectly.
You can see the screen from any angle, and it responds quickly to touch. There’s also an “Always on Display” feature. But remember, using this can drain the battery faster. The look of this display changes based on the watch face you’ve picked. So, the screen’s look when it’s “sleeping” depends on the main watch face you’ve set.
Amazfit Balance nails it! It has a 1.5-inch AMOLED screen with a 480 x 480-pixel resolution.
First, it’s super bright! It can shine up to 1,500 nits, which means you can easily read it even on super sunny days. Second, it automatically adjusts its brightness depending on where you are, and it does that perfectly. Touching and swiping on the screen? Super smooth and easy!
There’s this “Always on Display” feature you can turn on (it’s off at the start because it uses more battery). You have eight different looks to choose from or can let the watch match its current face to this display. Most times, this just means showing the time without any extras when the screen is “asleep.”
Sensors & Features
Interestingly, the Amazfit Balance has a unique feature – body composition measurement. This uses bio-impedance sensors to give insights into bone density, fat content, body mass index, and more. On the other hand, the Huawei Watch GT 4 focuses on detailed calorie tracking.
Both watches come with GPS capabilities, but the Balance offers more configuration options. Moreover, while the Huawei watch doesn’t allow NFC payments outside China, the Balance does provide this functionality, albeit with limited card support.
In terms of voice assistants, the Amazfit Balance comes with Alexa integration, giving you basic control over home automation and more. The Huawei watch doesn’t feature any such assistant but does offer some home automation controls through specific apps.
Activity, health and sleep monitoring
Both versions of the Watch GT 4 offer over 100 sports modes. They range from the basics like running, cycling, and swimming, to the unique inclusions like football (a sport gaining traction in Poland) and even esports monitoring. Handy for the gamer athletes out there!
Satellite Support: No matter the watch size, you’ll get support for GPS, Glonass, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS. Talk about connectivity!
Route Tracking: The 46 mm version boasts improved route tracking efficiency. It’s said to be less affected by the angle at which the watch faces satellites. Did I notice a difference when comparing this to the 41 mm version? Well, the results were intriguing, to say the least.
Caloric Tracking: My personal health journey involves strict calorie counting. The new feature in the Huawei Watch GT 4 aids this beautifully, helping me maintain an optimal caloric balance. And my meticulous tracking is showing results! Every week, I see a little progress.
A Personal Twist: Wearing two watches might seem odd (and believe me, I got a few curious looks), but it had its advantages. I got uninterrupted data for my daily calorie deficits, which is super crucial to me right now. Plus, it offered a unique opportunity to compare training results, steps, sleep metrics, and GPS traces against another trusted platform: Strava. It was techy, insightful, and kinda fun!
Final Thoughts: The Huawei Watch GT 4, regardless of size, is feature-rich. But your preference might be influenced by the specifics of route tracking and how much you value certain metrics. Either way, for smartwatch enthusiasts, it’s a win!
Battery Life
Both brands make impressive battery life claims. Huawei’s Watch GT 4 series promises up to 7 days for its 41 mm version and 14 days for the 46 mm. On the other hand, Amazfit’s Balance watch claims up to 14 days on regular use.
Always on Display (AoD): Here’s where things get tricky. With AoD on, Huawei’s watch (41 mm) gave me 4 days, while the Balance lasted about a week. Now, the larger 46 mm Huawei version, as Kuba found out, can run for about 7-8 days with AoD.
Exercise Impact: Battery life can dip when you’re active. While I mainly played with my cats wearing the Huawei, someone with a more active lifestyle might see faster drains. With the Balance, exercising 40 mins every other day shaved the battery life to about 9-10 days.
Charging: Huawei scores big with its wireless charging option. Forgot your charger? Just pop the Watch GT 4 on a wireless charging phone! On the downside, the Amazfit Balance requires its own special charger and doesn’t support wireless charging. But hey, both fully charge in about an hour.
Pros and Cons
Huawei Watch GT 4
Pros: The Watch GT 4 boasts of an excellent battery life, a stunning design available in seven diverse versions, and an impeccable screen quality (although sans sapphire glass). For folks like me, who prioritize aesthetics and reliability over high-end sports features, the Huawei Watch GT 4 shines bright. The Elite version, in particular, has won my heart, ticking all the boxes as an everyday essential.
Cons: However, it’s not all sunshine and roses. The Huawei smartwatches might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Critics argue that it feels more like a dressed-up smart band due to the absence of features like contactless payments (even with NFC), eSIM capability, and a broad range of apps.
Amazfit Balance
Pros: Amazfit Balance promises a commendable battery life, seamlessly displays notifications, and offers the perk of making calls directly from the watch. The mental health features are a thoughtful addition, even though some come with a price tag.
Cons: The Balance, however, teeters on the edge when it comes to the perfect equilibrium of relaxation vs. health features and accurate GPS tracking. Sleep tracking accuracy could use some improvements. The reliance on a dedicated charger, compatibility issues with iOS for specific apps, and the hoops one has to jump through for making payments are definite downsides.
The Verdict: Huawei Watch GT 4 vs Amazfit Balance
Between the two, the Huawei Watch GT 4 emerges as my top pick. Its design, battery life, and overall user experience make it a trusty companion for daily wear. While Amazfit Balance has its merits, some of its shortcomings, especially in functionality and compatibility, make it play second fiddle in this comparison.
Whichever you lean towards, ensure it aligns with your needs and lifestyle. Happy tech shopping!
